Microsoft's 'I'm a PC' Ads Fuel the PC vs. Mac Debate

In the blogosphere, on YouTube, and anywhere else PC and Mac users share the same space you'll see and endless barrage of "mine is better than yours" posts from those who claim to be Mac or PC.

In recent weeks, Microsoft has kicked off an aggressive marketing campaign intended to change user perception about Windows, and Microsoft in general. Apple has been dominating the advertising wars over the last few years, and their long running PC Guy and Mac Guy skits have been seen by almost everyone at this point. Microsoft is now firing back, and we've seen three distinct flavors of perception changing, debate raging campaigns come out of Microsoft.

The Mojave Experiments

Starting with the 'Mojave Experiement,' Microsoft seemingly sat users down in front of a Vista computer, but told them it was their next in-development OS. After many users exclaimed how great it looked, they were told that what they were using was Windows Vista... commence candid camera-like shock and awe. It's been clearly stated by users that these "experiments" don't really highlight day-to-day use of Vista, only showing them a snippet of what the OS likely does well. 

I agree that it's not exactly a fair experiment from a typical use perspective, but it does clearly show that what people have "heard" about Vista is keeping folks from trying it themselves. 

The Bill Gates/Seinfeld Ads

Personally, I like this campaign. As for others, the reactions have been mixed. These ads don't promote any particular Windows product, and if it wasn't for Gates, wouldn't even have a connection to Microsoft.

The ad, to me, was very similar to the Seinfeld TV show; an ad about nothing. Funny, again, in that Seinfeld kind of way, but with more than a few chuckle moments. There's even a few one liners in there that I'll be saying for years.

I suspect those who really don't get this commercial are the same folks who really didn't get Seinfeld's TV show. 

No single Microsoft initiative has challenged my view of them as a company. Microsoft has never tried to make me laugh, nor have they even tried to connect with me on any level outside of computing. And you know what... I liked it. I hope to see more of Gates and Seinfeld as a dynamic duo.

"I'm a PC"

Microsoft's latest campaign to surface takes a page out of Apple's book, and twists it around in a clever, yet powerful way. 

Apple's Mac Guy and PC Guy skits have become something of an advertising legend. In these skits, the cooler Mac Guy belittles the more corporate and dorky PC Guy in one way or another; making a point why Apple is the better choice.

"I'm a PC, and I've been made into a stereotype," says the PC Guy look-alike at the beginning of Microsoft's retaliation. However, rather than picking up another shirt-untucked-messy-haired-hipster clone, Microsoft did the smartest thing I think they could have done (for once)... combat that stereotype head on in a powerful, one-world-connected kind of way. Watch it for yourself:

This latest campaign is really fuelling the fires of debate anywhere it's shown. Apple devotees claim Microsoft to be unoriginal, copying Apple's originality (like they do everything else, yada yada). Windows evengelists finally have something to latch on to, showing how Apple's desire to stereotype the PC user to a corporate, personality-less drones as highly inaccurate.

Furthering the debate is Apple users whining about the use of the word PC, considering even Apple computers are PCs by definition. Apple users feel it would be appropriate to claim that folks are Windows users, not PCs... even though it was Apple that defined PC as Windows. So the debate rages...

What do you think of Microsoft's campaign? 

P.S. I'm a PC, and I love all things electronic... even Macs.